Effects of group mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and group cognitive behavioural therapy on symptomatic generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized controlled noninferiority trial.

BACKGROUND: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a promising alternative treatment for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The objective of this study was to examine whether the efficacy of group MBCT adapted for treating GAD (MBCT-A) was noninferior to group cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) designed to treat GAD (CBT-A), which was considered one of first-line treatments for GAD patients. We also explored the efficacy of MBCT-A in symptomatic GAD patients compared with CBT-A for a variety of outcomes of anxiety symptoms, as well as depressive symptoms, overall illness severity, quality of life and mindfulness. METHODS: This was a randomized, controlled, noninferiority trial with two arms involving symptomatic GAD patients. Adult patients with GAD (n = 138) were randomized to MBCT-A or CBT-A in addition to treatment as usual (TAU). The primary outcome was the anxiety response rate assessed at 8 weeks after treatment as measured using the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA). Secondary outcomes included anxiety remission rates, scores on the HAMA, the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI), the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), the Severity Subscale of the Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI-S), and the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12), as well as mindfulness, which was measured by the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). Assessments were performed at baseline, 8 weeks after treatment, and 3 months after treatment. Both intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses were performed for primary analyses. The χ2 test and separate two-way mixed ANOVAs were used for the secondary analyses. RESULTS: ITT and PP analyses showed noninferiority of MBCT-A compared with CBT-A for response rate [ITT rate difference = 7.25% (95% CI: -8.16, 22.65); PP rate difference = 5.85% (95% CI: - 7.83, 19.53)]. The anxiety remission rate, overall illness severity and mindfulness were significantly different between the two groups at 8 weeks. There were no significant differences between the two groups at the 3-month follow-up. No severe adverse events were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that MBCT-A was noninferior to CBT-A in reducing anxiety symptoms in GAD patients. Both interventions appeared to be effective for long-term benefits. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered at chictr.org.cn (registration number: ChiCTR1800019150 , registration date: 27/10/2018).

CdWRKY2-mediated sucrose biosynthesis and CBF-signalling pathways coordinately contribute to cold tolerance in bermudagrass.

Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) is one of the most widely cultivated warm-season turfgrass species around the world. Cold stress has been a key environmental factor that adversely affects the growth, development, and geographical distribution of bermudagrass; however, the underlying mechanism of bermudagrass responsive to cold stress remains largely unexplored. Here, we identified a cold-induced WRKY transcription factor CdWRKY2 from bermudagrass and demonstrated its function in cold stress response. Overexpression of CdWRKY2 enhanced cold tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis and bermudagrass hairy roots, while knocking down CdWRKY2 expression via virus-induced gene silencing increased cold susceptibility. RNA sequencing showed that overexpression of CdWRKY2 in Arabidopsis activated the expression of genes involved in sucrose synthesis and metabolism, including sucrose synthase 1 (AtSUS1) and sucrose phosphate synthase 2F (AtSPS2F). CdSPS1, the homology gene of AtSPS2F in bermudagrass, was subsequently proven to be the direct target of CdWRKY2 by yeast one-hybrid, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and transient expression analysis. As expected, overexpression of CdSPS1 conferred cold tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis plants, whereas silencing CdSPS1 expression enhanced cold sensitivity in bermudagrass. Besides, CdCBF1 whose expression was dramatically up-regulated in CdWRKY2-overexpressing bermudagrass hairy roots but down-regulated in CdWRKY2-silencing bermudagrass both under normal and cold stress conditions was confirmed as another target of CdWRKY2. Collectively, this study reveals that CdWRKY2 is a positive regulator in cold stress by targeting CdSPS1 and CdCBF1 promoters and activating their expression to coordinately mediate sucrose biosynthesis and CBF-signalling pathway, which provides valuable information for breeding cold-resistant bermudagrass through gene manipulation.

Dietary zinc supplementation affects eggshell quality and ultrastructure in commercial laying ducks by influencing calcium metabolism.

This study evaluated dietary Zn supplementation on productive performance, eggshell quality and ultrastructure, and calcium metabolism during eggshell formation in laying ducks. A total of 360 Longyan laying ducks (45-wk) were randomly divided into 5 treatment groups with 6 replicates of 12 birds each and fed for 20 wk. The 6 treatments fed the basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 20, 40, 80, or 160 mg Zn/kg (ZnSO4·H2O). Dietary supplemental level at 80 mg/kg increased egg production (4.3%) and mass (5.7%), and decreased FCR (2.9%) compared to the basal diet, and these indices increased quadratically with increasing Zn supplemental levels (P < 0.05). The shell breaking strength (15.8%) and fracture toughness (10.6%) were higher with the supplementation of Zn at 80 mg/kg than the basal diet, and increased quadratically with Zn supplementation (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation of Zn at 80 mg/kg improved shell ultrastructure by increasing total (9.0%) and effective thickness (14.2%) and decreasing mammillary thickness (12.0%), and their responses were quadratic with increasing Zn levels (P < 0.05). The supplementation of Zn affected the calcium contents in plasma, tibias and ulna, ulna phosphorus content, and linear and quadratic effects were observed, and higher values were observed with 160 mg/kg Zn supplementation than control (P < 0.05). The supplemental Zn level at 80 mg/kg increased shell effective thickness in growth stage (P < 0.05), and shell calcium and phosphorus content in initial and growth stages (P < 0.05). Dietary Zn supplementation did not affect the gene expression of Ca2+ transporters in the eggshell gland, but affected the expression of HCO3- exchanger in initial and growth stage (P < 0.05). Overall, dietary Zn supplementation could improve productive performance and shell quality in laying ducks at late phase of production, and calcium metabolism and deposition were modulated by Zn influencing HCO3- secretion and thus affecting shell ultrastructure and quality. A supplemental level of 80 mg/kg Zn in the diet with a basal content of 34.0 mg/kg was optimal, and higher level (160 mg/kg) decreased shell calcium deposition by depressing its metabolism.

The ethylene responsive factor CdERF1 from bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) positively regulates cold tolerance.

Cold stress is one of the major environmental factors that limit growth and utilization of bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers], a prominent warm-season turfgrass. However, the molecular mechanism of cold response in bermudagrass remains largely unknown. In this study, we characterized a cold-responsive ERF (ethylene responsive factor) transcription factor, CdERF1, from bermudagrass. CdERF1 expression was induced by cold, drought and salinity stresses. The CdERF1 protein was nucleus-localized and encompassed transcriptional activation activity. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing CdERF1 showed enhanced cold tolerance, whereas CdERF1-underexpressing bermudagrass plants via virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) method exhibited reduced cold resistance compared with control, respectively. Under cold stress, electrolyte leakage (EL), malondialdehyde (MDA), H2O2 and O2- contents were reduced, while the activities of SOD and POD were elevated in transgenic Arabidopsis. By contrast, these above physiological indicators in CdERF1-underexpressing bermudagrass exhibited the opposite trend. To further explore the possible molecular mechanism of bermudagrass cold stress response, the RNA-Seq analyses were performed. The result indicated that overexpression of CdERF1 activated a subset of stress-related genes in transgenic Arabidopsis, such as CBF2, pEARLI1 (lipid transfer protein), PER71 (peroxidase) and LTP (lipid transfer protein). Interestingly, under-expression of CdERF1 suppressed the transcription of many genes in CdERF1-underexpressing bermudagrass, also including pEARLI1 (lipid transfer protein) and PER70 (peroxidase). All these results revealed that CdERF1 positively regulates plant cold response probably by activating stress-related genes, PODs, CBF2 and LTPs. This study also suggests that CdERF1 may be an ideal candidate in the effort to improve cold tolerance of bermudagrass in the further molecular breeding.